Chest Cooler

ABSTRACT

The present application provides a chest cooler for dispensing products. The chest cooler may include a first product compartment with a first transparent panel and a second product compartment with a second transparent panel. The second product compartment may include a slanted floor leading to the second transparent panel such that a first number of the number of products may be positioned on the slanted floor and may be visible through the second transparent panel.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates generally to refrigeration systems andmore particularly relates to a low cost, low energy chest-type coolerwith a number of transparent panels.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Although modern vending machines and coolers offering beverages andother types of products may seem ubiquitous, many retail establishmentsthroughout the world still rely on ice chests and the like to keepproducts refrigerated and cooled. Such retail establishments may lacksufficient space for conventional electrical coolers or the sales volumemay not justify the cost of such coolers. Likewise, the energy requiredto run such coolers also may be of concern.

The use of conventional ice chests, however, often results ininconsistent product quality. Specifically, the retailer must fill thechest with ice in order to keep the products therein cold. Likewise,loss or pilferage from the ice chests may be high given the usual lackof a locking mechanism. Moreover, ice chests generally do not driveimpulse purchases because the consumer cannot see the products therein.Even when the ice chest is opened, a customer may only see the topseveral products therein while additional and/or different types ofproducts may be beneath the top layer or within the ice.

There is thus a desire therefore for improved chest cooler. Such a chestcooler preferably would be low cost, with low energy consumption, remainrelatively compact, but provide the visual appeal more often associatedwith glass door coolers and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present application thus provides a chest cooler for dispensingproducts. The chest cooler may include a first product compartment witha first transparent panel and a second product compartment with a secondtransparent panel. The second product compartment may include a slantedfloor leading to the second transparent panel such that a first numberof the number of products may be positioned on the slanted floor and maybe visible through the second transparent panel.

The first product compartment may include an upper door and a frontpanel. The front panel may include first transparent panel. The upperdoor may include a gasket layer. A second number of products may have asubstantially horizontal position in the first product compartment. Thefirst product compartment may include a compartment divider.

A front door may include the second transparent panel thereon. The frontdoor may include a gasket layer. The first number of products may have asubstantially vertical position in the second product compartment.

The chest cooler further may include an outer frame positioned about thefirst product compartment and the second product compartment. The outerframe may include messaging thereon and a contoured shape. The chestcooler further may include a refrigeration device therein. The chestcooler may include a number of access points thereon.

The present application further provides a chest cooler for dispensingproducts. The chest cooler may include a first product compartment withan upper door and a first transparent panel and a second productcompartment with a front door and a second transparent panel. The secondproduct compartment further may include a slanted floor leading to thefront door such that a first number of the number of products may bepositioned on the slanted floor and may be visible through the frontdoor.

The upper door may include a gasket layer. A second number of productsmay have a substantially horizontal position in the first productcompartment. The front door may include a gasket layer. The first numberof products may have a substantially vertical position in the secondproduct compartment. The chest cooler may include a refrigeration devicetherein.

These and other features and improvements of the present applicationwill become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon review ofthe following detailed description when taken in conjunction with theseveral drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a chest cooler as is describedherein.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a further embodiment of the chestcooler.

FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the embodiment of the chest coolerof FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present application concerns the offering for sale of any number ofproducts 10. Although the products 10 are shown, by way of example only,in the form of bottles, it is understood that the products 10 mayinclude any type or size of item or package including, but not limitedto, bottles, cans, pouches, boxes, wrapped items, produce, and/or anytype of rigid or flexible packing. The products 10 may includebeverages, food items, non-food items, consumer products, and/or anytype of product. The scope of the application is in no way limited bythe nature of the products 10 intended to be offered herein orotherwise.

Referring now to the drawings in which like numerals refer to likeelements throughout the several views, FIG. 1 shows a chest cooler 100as may be described herein. The chest cooler 100 may include an outerframe 110. The outer frame 110 may be insulated. The outer frame 110 andthe chest cooler 100 as a whole may have any desired size or shape.

A refrigeration device 120 may be positioned within or about the outerframe 110. The refrigeration device 120 may be of conventional designand may include a fan 130, a compressor 140, and other types ofrefrigeration components. Alternatively, a freezing device and/or aheating device also may be used herein with or without the refrigerationdevice 120. The refrigeration device 120 may be modular or originalequipment.

The chest cooler 100 may include a number of product compartments. Inthis example, a first product compartment 150 and a second productcompartment 160 may be used. Any number of product compartments may beused herein. The first product compartment 150 may be bounded by anupper door 170 and a front panel 180. The upper door 170 may pivotupward via an upper door hinge 190 and the like. The upper door hinge190 may be positioned on any side of the upper door 170. The upper door170 also may have an upper door hand grip 200. The upper door 170 may betransparent or opaque. If transparent, a transparent panel 175 may beused. Various types of messaging 210 may be positioned on the upper door170. Any type of messaging 210 may be used herein. Examples includebrand advertising, pricing, instructions for use, etc. The first productcompartment 150 and the upper door 170 may have any shape or size. Agasket layer 220 may be positioned about the upper door 170 so as toensure an airtight seal when closed. Other types of insulation also maybe used herein.

The front panel 180 may be fixed in place. The front panel 180 may betransparent or opaque. If transparent, the transparent panel 175 may beused. The front panel 180 preferably may be transparent such that aconsumer can see the products 10 within the first compartment 150. Thefront panel 180 also may be opaque with the messaging 210 thereon. Thefront panel 180 may have any shape or size.

In this example, the products 10 may have a horizontal position 230within the first product compartment 150. A compartment divider 240 maydivide the first product compartment 150 into a number of sections 250.Any number of compartment dividers 240 and sections 250 may be usedherein. A vertical position or any orientation of the products 10 alsomay be used herein. Any number of products 10 may be positioned therein.The first section 250 may include one type of product 10 and the secondsection 250 may include a different type of product 10.

The second product compartment 160 may be bounded by a front door 260and a slanted floor 270. The front door 260 may pivot open via a frontdoor hinge 280 and the like. The door hinge 280 may be positioned on anyside of the front door 260. The front door 260 also may include a frontdoor hand grip 290 and a front door gasket layer 300. The front door 260may be transparent with the transparent panel 175 such that a consumermay see the products 10 therein. Alternatively, the front door 260 maybe opaque. The front door 260 also may include the messaging 210thereon. The slanted floor 270 may have any desired angle but ispreferably slanted upward such that a consumer has a good view of theproducts 10 therein. The products 10 may have a substantially verticalposition 310 therein. A horizontal position or any orientation of theproducts 10 also may be used herein. Any number of products 10 may bepositioned therein. The second product compartment 160 and the frontdoor 260 may have any shape or size.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show a further embodiment of a chest cooler 320. In thisembodiment, the upper door 170 is opaque while the front panel 180 andthe front door 260 are transparent and use the transparent panels 175.The outer frame 110 may have the messaging 210 thereon. Moreover, theouter frame 110 has a contour 330 that resembles the Dynamic RibbonDevice of The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Ga. In this example, theouter frame 110 also includes a hand indent 340 positioned beneath thefront door 260. The hand indent 340 also may be positioned at the sideof the front door depending upon where the door hinge 280 is located.The hand grip 200 or a handle also may be used.

In use, the products 10 are loaded into the first product compartment150 and the second product compartment 160 of the chest cooler 100. Theproducts 10 in the first product compartment 150 may have the horizontalposition 230 while the products 10 in the second product compartment 160may have the vertical position 310. Alternatively, all of the products10 may have the horizontal position 230, the vertical position 310, orcombinations thereof.

The use of the transparent panels 175 on the front panel 180, the frontdoor 260, and elsewhere allows consumers to see the products 10 therein.Moreover, the transparent panels 175 allow the consumers to see theentire front column of the products 10 in the first product compartmentand the first row of the products 10 in the second product compartment160. This visibility is further improved by the slanted floor 270 thatangles the products 10 toward the consumer. Such visibility may spurconsumer interest in the products 10 therein and/or promote impulsepurchases. The improved visibility also may provide branddifferentiation with the products 10 therein. This consumer interest maybe further spurred by the use of the messaging 210 as well as thecontoured shape 330.

A consumer thus may open the upper door 170 on the first productcompartment 150 and/or open the front door 260 of the second productcompartment 160 and remove a product 10 therefrom. Other compartmentsand other types of access point may be used herein. The chest cooler 100thus provides easy access to the products 10 therein while providingimproved visibility.

The upper door 170 and the front door 260 may have a locking devicethereon. One or more chest coolers 100 may be stacked together and/ormultiple chest coolers 100 may be used. The products 10 may bepositioned in a basket. The basket may be removable from the firstproduct compartment 150 and/or the second product compartment 260 so asto permit first in first out loading. Other types of loading techniquesalso may be used herein.

The relatively small size of the chest cooler 100 as a whole along withthe use of the gasket layers 220, 300 about the upper door 170, thefront door 260, and elsewhere also should make the overall chest cooler100 reasonably energy efficient. The size of the transparent panels 175may be minimized so as to reduce overall energy consumption. Therefrigeration device 120 also avoids the need to refill the chest cooler100 with ice.

It should be apparent that the foregoing relates only to certainembodiments of the present application and that numerous changes andmodifications may be made herein by one of ordinary skill in the artwithout departing from the general spirit and scope of the invention asdefined by the following claims and the equivalents thereof.

1. A chest cooler for dispensing products, comprising: a first productcompartment comprising a first transparent panel; and a second productcompartment comprising a second transparent panel; wherein the secondproduct compartment comprises a slanted floor leading to the secondtransparent panel such that a first number of the number of products maybe positioned on the slanted floor and be visible through the secondtransparent panel.
 2. The chest cooler of claim 1, wherein the firstproduct compartment comprises an upper door and a front panel.
 3. Thechest cooler of claim 2, wherein the front panel comprises the firsttransparent panel.
 4. The chest cooler of claim 2, wherein the upperdoor comprises a gasket layer.
 5. The chest cooler of claim 1, wherein asecond number of products comprise a substantially horizontal positionin the first product compartment.
 6. The chest cooler of claim 1,wherein the first product compartment comprises a compartment divider.7. The chest cooler of claim 1, wherein a front door comprises thesecond transparent panel.
 8. The chest cooler of claim 7, wherein thefront door comprises a gasket layer.
 9. The chest cooler of claim 1,wherein the first number of products comprise a substantially verticalposition in the second product compartment.
 10. The chest cooler ofclaim 1, further comprising an outer frame positioned about the firstproduct compartment and the second product compartment.
 11. The chestcooler of claim 10, wherein the outer frame comprises messaging thereon.12. The chest cooler of claim 10, wherein the outer frame comprises acontoured shape.
 13. The chest cooler of claim 1, further comprising arefrigeration device therein.
 14. The chest cooler of claim 1, furthercomprising a plurality of access points thereon.
 15. A chest cooler fordispensing products, comprising: a first product compartment comprisingan upper door and a first transparent panel; and a second productcompartment comprising a front door and a second transparent panel;wherein the second product compartment further comprises a slanted floorleading to the front door such that a first number of the number ofproducts may be positioned on the slanted floor and be visible throughthe front door.
 16. The chest cooler of claim 15, wherein the upper doorcomprises a gasket layer.
 17. The chest cooler of claim 15, wherein asecond number of products comprise a substantially horizontal positionin the first product compartment.
 18. The chest cooler of claim 15,wherein the front door comprises a gasket layer.
 19. The chest cooler ofclaim 15, wherein the first number of products comprise a substantiallyvertical position in the second product compartment.
 20. The chestcooler of claim 15, further comprising a refrigeration device therein.